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Wednesday, May 27, 2015

My Year as a Stay-at-Home Midlife Mom

I know it is a cliché to comment on how quickly time passes, but it really is true! It has been a year since I left my teaching job to take some time off and stay at home. Let's see how the last twelve months have gone.

The biggest question I get from friends is do I miss teaching? The answer is simple. Yes. I miss teaching and I particularly miss my students. However, I do NOT miss our education system and I made the right decision to leave when I did. That is all I'm going to say on that topic.

As you know, because you are here reading it, I started a blog. This was a rare, spontaneous decision on my part. That alone was an accomplishment and I wish I could make other decisions so efficiently and with such conviction. While my initial intentions were to blog about my days at home, it quickly branched into other areas, such as my popular BOOK and MOVIE REVIEWS. Since my film reviews are geared toward popular family flicks, they are particularly fun for me to write because they involve spending time with my sons. Plus, my sons have taken an interest in them giving me valuable input. It's fun to have them pick out films for us to watch together and I love when they pick out quotes I should feature in the reviews. Movies were always a bonding experience for us, but the blog reviews have given that favorite past-time a new element.

I have enjoyed the time at home, picking up my boys, volunteering at their school, and chaperoning FIELD TRIPS, even when I thought those outings would be the death of me. I have taken advantage of meeting friends for coffee or lunch on occasion, honestly I would have liked more of those opportunities, and I managed to incorporate exercise into my regular routine. My greatest accomplishment in the last year has been my decision and success with GOING VEGAN.

However, the benefit that I am most grateful to have had this last year, is the irreplaceable quality time I had with my dear cat, HUNTER, who in his final months needed a great deal of personal care from me. A year ago I never would have thought he wouldn't be with me today, but the quiet moments we shared during his final days are memories I will carry in my heart forever.

Unfortunately, there were some goals I did NOT accomplish this past year such as getting "out there" more and taking cooking or photography classes. But I can still look into those things when the time is right. School gets out in six days and I am now focusing on planning fun summer adventures with my boys - who I'm confident would rather sit on the couch and watch television all day, ggggrrrr. THAT will drive me nuts, so my immediate mission is to avoid it at all cost.

I cannot express enough gratitude for all my readers worldwide and for all the professional connections I've made with other bloggers whose insight, support, and technical assistance have been invaluable. I have no idea what the next twelve months hold for me - a position that can be liberating but also very scary. The most important thing is that I continue on this journey and take one day at a time.

YOUR TURN:

I enjoy the menagerie of topics I explore, but I am curious to hear from my readers. Which posts do you like the most? Do you prefer one of my specific series or my personal experiences and rants? Leave a comment and let me know. As always, thanks for reading and being part of my journey.

Nikki is a freelance writer and editor who focuses on issues facing parents and women. She is also a film and book critic and active blogger. Her professional background spans several fields including non-profit work, law, event management/public relations, and elementary education. She holds a B.A. in English Literature. She resides in South Florida with her loved ones. Read Nikki's blog at http://www.lavenderinspiration.com/.

8 comments:

Orange slices, the search for the Lego 'Haunted Mansion' ... The trip into the murky swamp waters in the Preserve. These honest accountings of seemingly everyday occasions, written with so much heart and love. Just loving those. I've read them many times, chuckling here, smiling there, sharing the moments through your words. Seeing your world through your own eyes. More than once your great writing style and quirky, funny way of looking at things reminded me of Ally McBeal, talking to herself in her mind. It's been fun. Thank you for sharing and letting me and all the other readers tag along.

I can imagine that. But you are a natural talent. That writing style is definitely on a 'novel' level. These stories are the icing on the cake for me, so quality is more important than quantity. And you deliver :)